The SileStone worktops are Blanco Capri. They are stain resistant, anti-bacterial and very durable. SileStone has become a much more affordable counter top for the kitchen and now competes with granite on a budget level.

Here are some worktop pictures of the kitchen during it manufacture. Not much to look at in its raw stage but gives you an idea of how thing start out!

We use an MDF centre panel when manufacturing painted kitchen doors. This elimated paint cracks around the centr panel of our kitchen doors.

With the click of a button the SmarTable is activated and a refridgerated plateau appears from the center of your table top with fresh food and cool drinks at the touch of your finger. The remote controlled unit can be raised to your required height and also has adjustable shelving to suit different products. The table top comes in 14 different finishes, from granite to coloured glass and even wood.

While I can’t see this product being used in Kitchens at this time, I think it is an excellent idea for a restaurant, boardroom or airport. Gorenje also mentioned that this cylinder shaped refridgerator can be purchased without the table so maybe we will see it in some exciting design features in the future…

You should also keep in mind the following:

Appliances -

Do you plan on buying a range style cooker of slot in,

What colour kitchen, wood and style you are looking to achieve.

Counter tops, do you want laminate, granite or wood.

Storage – do you need to utilise ever bit of space you have. This applies mostly to a small kitchen.

These are just a few of the questions you need to keep in mind. A good designer will advise you on the the above and much more. While we supply kitchens throughout Ireland the above tips allow us to give you advice on your layouts.

Well I was wrong…. I am currently working with one on a house refurbishment and it has really opened my eyes to their expertise in getting a project finished on time, on budget and most importantly giving the client exactly what they want without having to go out of their way searching for it.

An Interior designer charges a fee, something that I would never have considered paying until recently. They are not just there to help you choose a colour, an item of furniture, curtains or wallpaper. They shop around for the best value and quality for your money, something that the majority of us haven’t time to do. How many times have you painted a room in your house only to decide half way across a wall that you don’t like the colour or that it doesn’t match something in that room? I bet it has happened quiet a few times in the past. Have you ever bought the wrong size curtains for a window? Are you happy with the tiles in your bathroom, timber floors in your sitting room? We all have things we would change and regret doing in our home. Well an interior designer works with this day in day out. He or she has seen previous mistakes and made them. Have you ever bought something for your house only to see it cheaper in another store after you buy it? I know I have and a good designer will have sourced the cheapest price for you.

So here are a few points as to why you should use a good interior designer.

Individual design for your home

All products sourced for you

The keenest quotes sought on your behalf

The most important thing to most clients is price and between the time saved and the fact that your designer will get the keenest prices on your behalf they basically pay their own fees.

Here are a few projects we have designed recently with our own CAD. While you won’t get the features we have in these plans it will give you the basic jist.

I think it’s an excellent idea and something that I have tried adding to our Website in the past.

  

   

So where do you need to add lighting to your kitchen design? Well definitely under the wall cabinets lighting the worktops area. There is nothing worse than preparing food in the kitchen with a shadow from you on the work area caused by ceiling lights. Under wall cabinet lighting solves this problem for you. If you have glass display units then lighting is a must and gives a beautiful effect to your kitchen in the evening time. Plinth lighting is also a beautiful feature for your new kitchen design. The come in both blue and white light and are water resistant which helps when washing floors.

Granite : A granite worktop adds an immediate wow factor and will more than recoup the initial investment. It is the ultimate in durability and whatever the kitchen design, the granite can be the major theme of your kitchen. Granite is a naturally occurring igneous rock with a variety of both grain and colour. When choosing granite bear in mind that there is no guarantee of continuity in the colour / shades. I would not see this as a negative feature but more so positive. The darker surfaces are those created by the the lava cooling quicker. This results in smaller grain finishes, heavier granite and more consistency in the shade. The slower cooling granites (lava’s) are usually lighter in colour, have much larger crystals and may have huge variations of colour. It withstands heat better than most tops and difficult to scratch and stain.

Composite Stone / Quartz : Quartz is often referred to as engineered stone. Quartz is mixed with resin and pigments to create a variation of colours and designs. It is a durable, stable, non – porous worksurface and is highly resistant to chemicals. Quartz in its raw state can be an unstable material and is susceptible to chips and breakage, even under its own weight. When quality polymers are used in the process of manufacture this ensure that quartz kitchen worktops are strong and hard wearing. Quartz countertops are heat and scratch resistant not just for a couple of years but for their entire lifetime.

Laminate : Laminate worktops are a popular choice for kitchens as they offer an attractive option for you kitchen at a more affordable price than other surfaces. They are quiet hard wearing and are resistant to heat. (it is recommended that you don’t place hot pot and pans directly on this surface) Laminate is a non-porous surface and liquid can be easily wiped away. These surfaces come in a wide variety of colours giving you the look of a granite counter-top or wood effect.

Wood :Wood worktops are luxurious and attractive choice for any kitchen design. They offer a beauty and warmth that is difficult to achieve with other surfaces. Wood can be used on both traditional and contemporary kitchen designs. One of the main advantages of wooden worktops is that other worktops age over time and usage, loosing the original splendour. Wood gains character over time, some wood become richer and deeper in colour becoming a part of your home. Wooden worktops can be easily repaired and resanded to it original surface.

Marble : Marble starts as a sediment at the bottom of bodies of water. As the sediment builds up over millions of years it solidifies under the pressure and forms limestone or dolomite. During mountain building, when heat and pressure are extremely high, these stones metamorphose into marble. Marble’s many colours and veining result from mineral impurities being trapped during its beginning as sediment and the effects can be quiet dramatic. Because marble can stain and scratch more easily than granite, care should be taken. Marble’s main component is calcium carbonate so acids such as vinegar and citrus beverages can taint the surface. Marble should have a honed rather than a polished finish thus providing a better resistance to food acids that can etch polished marble creating dull spots.

Corian : Corian is manufactured by DuPont and is almost 30 years in the making now. Its is manufactured using an advanced blend of natural materials and pure acrylic polymer. The options are almost limitless and can be manipulated, sculpted, carved, routed and thermoformed into a wide variety of shapes and features. Corian is difficult to scratch but can be easily resurfaced using sanding products. It is a non-porous surface and is seamless which means that it also prevents the growth of mould, mildew and bacteria associated with other work-surfaces.

Here’s a really nice oven. It has a feature which they call the slide away door.

CircoTherm is the most advanced cooking system out there. It works by forcing air from the oven into ducts at the rear oven wall where it heats the air and recycles it back into the cooker. There is no need to preheat your oven with this feature. CircoTherm defrost circulates unheated air into the oven which is excellent for delicate meat like fish and poultry. Food is cooked from the inside out with this feature which holds in the moisture.

Here are some more of there product for the chef in you or you can view their 360 degree showroom here.

A kitchen doesn’t need a high price tag to make a statement in you home. Careful design, bespoke and original feature will give you the look of a high end kitchen at a fraction of the cost. It’s time people priced around and moved from the large city kitchen retailers to the more affordable showrooms, you don’t need a high end named kitchen to get  high quality design, quality and service.